It's -A Wonderful Life
by TheWriterWhoIsAlone
Summary: What would happen if Paige were never around? How would everyone do without her? Based on the movie it's a wonderful life. **One Shot**


**Because I love Paily, and Caige, and Mchastings. I'm tired of people saying Paige is not important. Mainly for my own amusement. I saw someone say that they wanted this storyline for Alison so maybe someone could write that? It's just, I love Paige with this story and just yes, I've seen this story done for other characters. It was just a good fit, and I'm a little to excited and eager for the Christmas episode**

"Maybe it'd be better." Paige says to herself.

She thought about in her room contemplating, still not able to take a breath.

Thinking what would happen if she had same knife held to her skin once more.

It was those thoughts that brought her to the brew, she needed air. She knew Emily didn't have this morning shift, she knew everything about Emily.

It wouldn't be right, she knew that, Emily would blame herself, if she did something to herself. Paige knew she couldn't do that to her after she thought Alison died, and losing Maya. It broke her heart.

Still she figured not a single heart would break for her if she didn't exist any longer, people would be happy, and especially not the one she cared most about would even bother she figured, Emily had a good heart but she could be with Alison, no guilt.

Paige had been having to many panic attacks lately, it had gotten worse since Alison came back.

She hated Alison, she knew she needed to let go of her anger, but even with Maya it was different. Even with Nate it was different. She thought she was over it all, but it was to much at times. This was Alison, THE Alison, the same one who...made her feel ashamed and dirty. She didn't know what to do, now that it was Alison and Emily, again. The only thing she could hope was that, Alison actually cared, actually loved. It was like Paige was back, living in the past, the first year of high school, hating her stupid bike, and just wanting a motorcycle. She just wanted to be free again. It took her back, it took her to the days when she was "pigskin".

She put up a brave front but even the strongest people can be broken down.

Her labels didn't define here, none of them, but they were a part of her, something the world always judges, even the one Alison gave her.

Funny thing was she couldn't blame Alison or Nate or Maya or anyone, not even Emily. It was impossible to not love Emily Fields and for her not to bring out the best in you and only see that side.

She couldn't help but find the irony in where they all overlap, especially her and Alison. They were both scared and Emily brought them out of that. Paige thought they both loved to hard, at least Paige assumed Alison loved, but that got in the way. They both tried to have control, that was not what it was about though. That was what it used to be about, a power struggle, but now she opened her eyes. It was about Emily, it always was, what was best for her. It was so much more complex than any of that. The only real difference between the two is that Alison didn't shoot blindly, she shot every time. Paige had learned control. Alison's actions, and lies. never stopped, good or bad, no matter the repercussions, she never could just be dormant. Even if she was wanting the best.

"No one would miss me, Emily would be happy, I can get away from all of this, I can just be free."

She thought how far her parents had come how much they really do love her now, how they had to rebuild their reputation in the congregation, after finally saying they did accept and love their "gay" daughter. She was happy that day, but now she realized what a mess she made of everything. She realized what she did to them and their reputation. She didn't want them to be ostracized.

She heard the bell ring.

"Can I come sit next to you?" It came from a calm voice.

Still she couldn't be rude and there was this nagging feeling that this person would not let her go.

"Who are you?" She asked after motioning to the empty seat across from her.

If she left a letter she would let Emily know...it wasn't her fault. The same type of letter that she first admitted that she had feelings for her. The thing that would cause the same life chafing moments and realizations, like when she saw her with Maya. She really only ever wanted Emily's happiness.

She had not ever been this dark, not since, the original letter.

She would start working on that after she got rid of this guy, when she got home. She still hid the blade she would have to her skin, along with her shame and regrets, and everything else in between that teenagers tend to hide.

"Hi Paige."

She gave a confused look, she didn't recognize this man.

She didn't feel threatened, she should seeing that it was Rosewood and this was a stranger. He however was old and seemed harmless enough.

"Let's just say I'm family." He continued.

Now she started to get a strange feeling.

"Well I was just about to go, so thanks for the talk."

She replied trying to find an out.

He nodded.

"Weird." She thought to herself.

That's when she heard the guy follow after her.

"Paige wait! Look I'm sorry! I didn't meant to freak you out."

"Just, whatever you want I'm sorry I can't help you, just leave me aloe."

"I am the one who wants to help you." He smiles.

"Help me?"

"It's your thoughts, they made me come, I really am sort of family, let's just say a guardian angel. I know you don't like your life right now so I'm here to grant your wish." He flicks his wrist. "Paige McCullers doesn't exist anymore. She never has and never will."

"Wh-What are you talking about? Are you like crazy or something? No offense but did you escape from Radley or something?"

He chuckled.

"Not exactly dear."

She searched for her phone in her pocket.

"You won't find it, no more phone, no texts from -A, no wallet, nothing to link your past life."

"Whatever..." She walked away from the guy not noticing him disappear into the night.

Paige was getting frustrated. She needed to talk to someone. Caleb could help, at least she figured. Weirder things had happened, he could get some sort of digital footprint on the guy possibly, even if she didn't have a name, and help her find her phone and hopefully her wallet along with it. She went to his apartment but it was abandoned. She knocked on the door and nothing. She decided to go to Hanna's, maybe he was there.

Her mom answered the door.

"Hello ." Paige smiled. "Is Hanna around?"

"Hanna? You know Hanna? Oh come in sweetie it's cold out."

Paige appreciated the gesture it was cold out, but something was bothering her, " , it's me...Paige?"

"That's funny, I've never heard Hanna mention a Paige, just a second I'll go get her."

With that she went upstairs and then Paige heard heels come down the steps as she waited in the kitchen.

"Hanna!"

With that Hanna came cautiously.

"MOM- do you know her?" She called upstairs.

"No sweetie-she said she was your friend! Now I'm going to go on the phone please don't bother me!"

With that Hanna turned her attention back to Paige.

She came again slowly as she did before keeping the counter between them.

"I- I'm sorry. Who are you again?"

"Come on Hanna! Not you too, it's me. It's Paige?"

Hanna had a confused look on her face.

"Look I'm just looking for Caleb."

With that Hanna got a knife from the counter and came toward Paige, keeping just a little distance between them.

"Look I don't know who you are but Caleb is in jail! Alright?! Are you one of his old girlfriend's or something? Someone from his old life? Some unknown sister? Someone from his computer hacking days?"

Paige was so confused.

"Hanna it's not, umm like that, I'm gay? I'm not here to hurt anyone!"

With that Hanna put back down the knife and her face became softer.

"Oh look I'm sorry, it's just things have been bad for me since high school. It's best for you to get out of here alright? Noting is as it seems and everything turns out wrong. Just get out, or honestly, noting against you, I'll call the cops."

Honestly Paige wanted to get out of there. The knife bering pointed to her took her to Nate and she just couldn't. She put up her hands signifying her surrender.

"Look I'm sorry I didn't mean trouble." And with that she bolted out to her bike.

But she met that man outside once more.

"YOU!" She screamed... "What did you do?!"

She grabbed him by his jacket.

"I did what you wanted. You no longer lived. In this universe YOU never happened."

"Why is Caleb in jail?"

"You don't remember? You told your story, you distracted the officers. You were an eyewitness. Paige your testimony, the binding marks on your hand, the residue tape on your skin, what Nate did to you, that was what cleared Emily's name, in this universe, Caleb took the fall. His gunshot was proof but in this universe the officers didn't believe it was self defense, the evidence was screwed up and skewed. They knew he was hurt but the dirty officers won out because your evidence couldn't be found. Caleb has to say he shot him to clear Emily."

Paige shook her head, "No that's not how it went, that's not what happened, that should have been obvious."

The man shrugged.

"Dirty officers are in every universe. -A is in every universe."

"I'm sure we can figure something out. Spencer has a lawyer for a mom. We-we can talk to her. Besides I'm sure this universe is still better off." Paige sighed.

Paige started to walk with her bike to Spencer's house.

The man said "You're going the wrong way."

Paige was uncertain what to do so she stopped and looked back. The man just looked down sadly.

"Just follow me..."

She did as told uncertain of what was going on.

Paige was still in disbelief but she knew not even Hanna could act so well, so it must be true, everything that was going on.

On the way there she ran into Mona.

"Mona..." She whispered as she saw her walking. She was expecting her to have some sort of form of recognition.

She kept following the man, knowing that there were more important things to do.

"She turned her back on the girls and them on her. You didn't tell Emily about Mona's army, how they weren't the enemy really, how she just wanted to be protected, so they iced her out, once more, and fell back to Alison that much more easily. You showed her kindness and understanding Paige, you found common ground, it was you Paige, even if you didn't completely understand. Lucas couldn't help in the same way you did. You asked the right questions, at the right moments."

Paige felt her stomach drop.

Lost in her thoughts she didn't realize where they were.

"The cemetery? What are we doing...?"

She saw the man's eyes focus on a tombstone. Then she saw what was written.

SPENCER HASTINGS

BELOVED DAUGHTER, SISTER, FRIEND

YOU ARE LOVED AND MISSED

Paige fell to her knees.

"NO! There is NO WAY! IT IS WRONG. THIS CAN'T BE BECAUSE OF ME."

The man said in a dead voice, "Paige you really don't

remember? Being on the train? I mean Emily was distracting but..."

"Tell me about love on your planet." She said emptily with tears and her hand covering her mouth.

"Paige more than that happened that night. You saved Spencer, remember? You saved her from -A."

"She's smart, she could have gotten away herself, she should have."

"She didn't though."

Tears streamed down her face.

"We competed, but there was that understanding. She didn't trust me, but it's just because she cared. I-I didn't mean to.."

"Paige, it's not your fault. Things get messy, lines get crossed. There's nothing you can do. Her parents even tried to help Caleb, they knew what all her friends meant to her, they saw Hanna spiral, they tried their best, it just didn't work out."

"I need to see Emily. PLEASE, I need to."

"I don't know if you want to Paige, she's not the Emily you know, she's different." He shook his head. He knew that e would have to but not yet.

"M-My parents!"

Suddenly she came to the realization that she had no idea what became of them, her family. They were better off she was sure but she just wanted to make sure.

She went to her house.

"Paige, they don't live in Rosewood anymore. Your father tried to be a good person, still went into the church. You softened his heart though. You helped him see god could love you without one having to be perfect. You were their only child for a reason, your mother couldn't conceive, you were a miracle for them. They never told you but it's true. Paige- you brought back your fathers faith so many times, without you, he became a man with a closed off heart, a man with a deep resentment to everything he stood for. Your mother doesn't even recognize the man she married, she doesn't even know who she is anymore. It's as if they're spiraling in space, just living, there's no love there, you didn't bring them together."

"I-I can't do this. I can't see her, I can't know. I can't even see my own parents, how am I going to face her?"

Paige was defeated. She sadly sighed and went back to the brew. There was nothing left for her. There was no one left for her.

She went into her usual seat and crossed her arms on the table using them like a pillow. She felt defeated. It was ironic how at this point Alison seemed to be her only hope. She needed her to fix everything.

"Paige I need to warn you..." She looked up and looked in his eyes, the only one who actually seemed to know her at this point, recognize her. Sure the streets were dead but she would have felt alone anyway.

That's when she heard the bell ring at the front door and he disappeared. She saw her then only for a few seconds and she quickly went passed her table. Her eyes were lifeless. There was no joy in her face like usual. She went to order a coffee and drank it. She seemed to be running low and even in that moment Paige could see that Emily savored

every drop. Like that was the only thing in life that made her happy.

"E-Emily?" Paige walked up to her table.

"What do you want? How do you know my name." Emily bit.

Paige took a seat.

"S-sorry you just remind me of someone, and it's kind of impossible to know you."

Emily tightened her lips and rolled her eyes.

"Oh yeah, friend of the "dead" right? Whatever." She replied shortly.

"Hey I'm sorry it's not like that. I was..." Paige thought for a moment, she didn't want this conversation to end. Paige had actually debated talking to Emily but now she knew she made the right choice. "I actually was wondering about swimming I heard you were good, taking records, even captain."

"I was." Emily sighed. "Then my shoulder was hurt. If you knew anything you'd know that and wouldn't talk to me about that. The only thing that meant something to me and even that was taken away. So what do you really want? Where'd you hear this stuff anyway?"

Emily looked up from her drink and Paige could see that even though she wasn't a day older she had aged somehow. She looked so tired. It was the first look she got from her, where she could study her face, she didn't like what she saw. Behind the tough persona she saw Emily looking small, somehow, she wasn't the same person.

"I told you I really do swim." Emily softened for a moment, Paige could feel her walls coming down, at least a little bit, she knew those reactions, she had already seen them all, little by little, as they fell in love.

"Are you new?" Emily asked.

"You could say that. Like I said, I feel like I know you and...that we can be close."

Emily shook her head, "Trust me, you shouldn't get to know me, it's a joke with me, I'm cursed."

"Hey don't talk like that." Paige took a seat.

"Why are you talking to me anyway?"

"Sometimes you just need to vent. I'm sure we won't have classes, I'm a stranger, it's not a big deal. You can, talk to me."

Emily sighed. "Look sorry if I seem rude it's just..."

"It's fine, I-I get it."

Emily laughed. "You get it. Yeah sure..."

"Wanna talk about it?"

"I just deal with it all alone. I- alright you're going to hear about it all eventually probably so whatever. I- I'm gay- I guess that's where I start, it's my big lie and secret, at least it was. My best friend was presumably dead, and then my first girlfriend died and everything went wrong. My other best friend died and just a lot of mess in-between. My parents are amazing but... I have no one to talk to, ever, I just, I never know who to trust and rely on you know?"

"So your best friend isn't dead? You said presumably."

"Well not after all...it's..."

"Complicated?"

"Yeah." Emily smiled for the first time since Paige saw her. It was a half fake half real type, Paige knew, but it was there. "What are you going to finish my sentences for me?" She asked looking Paige in the eyes. Paige felt breathless, it was like, they were back at the beginning. It was a surreal feeling for Paige.

"Maybe something like that..." Paige smiled softly, still hurting about the state Emily was in, her Emily.

"Did you love her?" Paige asked. "Did you love your best friend?"

Emily seemed taken aback by the question.

"I don't think that's an appropriate question."

"Sorry I don't mean to be...pushy." Paige began to get up to leave then Emily grabbed her by the arm and indicated to her to take a seat back down.

"When I needed her most she left, and... that was that. I asked her to come back, after she left again. My friend Hanna let her go. She didn't want to but she didn't think it was safe, running was useless though and she knew it. She tried to be there, or at least I want to believe she did. It's not her fault, she was, a compulsive liar, manipulative. I loved her I think but not HER. I loved the idea of who she was, who she could be. I loved the person I made, the one I imagined."

"That sounds, rough."

"I wish I could run away too, but they say the past follows you, haunts, so what's the point?" Paige nodded.

Emily looked at her watch.

"Crap, I have to get home. My dad is sick and I just...let the time get away. I have to go."

"Alright, bye Em."

"Only my friends call me Em."

"Well maybe we can be friends?"

Emily contemplated it for a second. For a second Paige thought she'd wake up and realize it was her. In that same moment however she saw Emily shake it off and there went her hope.

"Maybe? I-I think I'd like that. I would appreciate a friend right now."

Paige nodded. Emily got up and put on her jacket, pulling her hair out from the fabric that was trapped.

She started walking out when she turned. Once more Paige got the butterflies in her stomach, maybe this was it.

"What's your name again?"

"Paige. Paige McCullers."

"Paige. That's a wonderfully beautiful name."

Emily extended her hand and Paige shook it looking down.

"You don't have to look away you know?" Emily asked.

Paige couldn't help but laugh at that one.

"Goodbye Emily Fields."

"Goodbye Paige McCullers."

With that Emily was gone, with a second glance.

Paige went on her bike, she was looking for the man that caused all of this.

It finally hit her how much she changed people, how much she changed herself.

She wasn't the same girl she was, and maybe that was a good thing.

She realized in that moment that she may never get back. That's when she crashed.

Her bike now broken and smashed her head blacked out.

Next thing she knew she was being woken up by Emily, her Emily.

"E-Emily...?"

"Paige oh my god."

She was outside the brew once more, where it had all started. She was being held by the one person who understood.

Emily was on her knees, holding on like her life depended on it.

"What are you doing? It's not your shift Em."

Emily rolled her eyes... "What are you talking about?! YOU CRASH AND YOU WORRY ABOUT THAT? You must really hate me huh?"

Now it was Paige who responded. "You know it's not like that. It's just been really intense."

She tried getting up but got dizzy, and Emily held on to her tighter as she followed her movements.

"Listen let me take you to the hospital. I was getting my check, but you take priority right now."

Paige just chuckled.

"Listen Fields you are the one that gets the concussions remember? I'm the one that always takes care of YOU.

Honestly I'm fine, don't worry. You should worry about Alison anyway..."

Paige didn't say it bitterly, it was just a matter of fact. She had to care about Alison now, and Paige felt she had to get used to that.

Even if she couldn't have Emily she just needed her in her life. They were always strong for each other, and she knew she couldn't give that up.

"Paige, she has tried to leave twice already. She may be trying to do good but she always leaves."

Paige couldn't help but smile at that.

"Emily, I want you to be happy, I want me to be happy, at this point I even want her happy. It's just that..."

"She's not the monster you think she is."

Emily went through her bag and pulled out a letter.

Paige's mouth dropped.

"How...? UGH! I HAD THE ONLY COPY! I CAN NOT BELIEVE ALISON..."

"Paige, she said I deserved to know everything, I know you never showed it to me, and now I don't know why."

Paige couldn't help but just look down and avoid everything around her.

"It's because... I was someone else when I wrote it. Em, I never wanted to hurt you. I never wanted you to hurt me."

"What you wrote...I'm sorry you thought I was a part of it all."

"I know you didn't have anything to do with it."

Emily smiled.

"It was the sweetest thing I have ever read."

"I still don't know how she got a copy." Paige sighed.

"Guess she's not the monster you thought she was."

"You love her, we'll always have a little bad blood between us."

"Paige, I can be Alison's friend, I can't do that with you. You and I, we have never just been friends."

"Yeah, we were always there for each other I guess huh?"

"I get it if you are seeing someone or you never want to speak to me again outside of practive, but...for now how about I just take care of your head."

She said dabbing the blood off of Paige's head.

"Actually, I'd like that."

"Good!"

"You know what Em?"

"What?"

"I kind of just realized I really do have, a wonderful life."

Emily smiled.

They walked off talking about Emily being back on the team and everything else in their lives, just like normal.

Feelings just don't go away.

Paige almost missed the bell on the door of the Brew go off and a shining star get just a bit brighter.

In that moment she knew the planets were aligned and that whatever was meant to happen with Emily would.

She would just go for the ride.

"Guess he got his wings..." She said as they walked toward Emily's car.

"Hmmm?"

Paige just smiled to herself looking up to the clear night sky.

"Nevermind." She hummed.


End file.
